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The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady amid political pressure, stubborn inflation, and tariff-related complications. Despite calls for cuts, officials remain cautious, wary of past missteps. Fed independence faces scrutiny as inflation persists, rate cuts stay delayed, and public criticism—including from Elon Musk—intensifies.

My sense is that it will be a stock pickers market. You are not going to see a big move in the market. It is going to be a sideways consolidating market for some time because there is still a lot of uncertainty around. Economy has slowed down and clearly we do not see the significant recovery in the first half of FY26.

The cryptocurrency market experienced a slight downturn as investors awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve s policy announcement. Bitcoin remained relatively stable around $94,000, while altcoins faced larger declines. Market analysts pointed to technical indicators, institutional activity, and macroeconomic uncertainties as factors influencing market behavior, with Bitcoin dominance increasing amid risk-off sentiment.

The Trump administration’s trade strategy combines high tariffs with pressure on non-tariff issues like currency policies, product standards, and VAT systems. While framed as promoting fair trade, experts suggest it aims to shift global production to the U.S. Political resistance abroad may hinder meaningful progress on these complex demands.

Pankaj Pandey suggests that while Q4 earnings were subdued, FY26 looks promising, particularly for the commodity sector. Cement and steel are highlighted as potential outperformers due to expected earnings improvements and price increases. He also notes the positive impact of declining crude oil prices on OMCs and other user industries, emphasizing the structural benefits for India.

Union Bank of India s shares declined following scrutiny over its pre-publication purchase of Krishnamurthy Subramanian s book, India@100, for Rs 7.25 crore. Internal documents revealed bulk orders distributed across various institutions, raising concerns about procedural lapses. An internal investigation and employee union demands highlight the controversy surrounding the expenditure and potential impropriety.

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Saturday that he wants to step down as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year. The revelation came as a surprise because the 94-year-old had previously said he did not plan to retire.

Indian equity markets ended higher for the week, with the Sensex up 1.6% and Nifty gaining 1.3%, led by largecaps. Smallcaps lagged amid rising volatility. Key triggers ahead include the US Fed rate decision, Q4 results from SBI and Kotak Bank, India-Pakistan border tensions, and crude price swings. FIIs remained net buyers and the Rupee appreciated past 84/USD.